Mandate has evangelicals and Catholics finding common ground on ethics—and strategy.

Sarah Pulliam Bailey/ April 13, 2012

Despite differences over contraception, evangelical leaders have fallen in step with Catholic bishops over what they see as federal compulsion to provide services against their conscience.

In 2011, the Obama administration ruled that religious institutions would be required to provide employees with free contraceptive coverage. President Obama said in February that insurers would be responsible for paying for the contraception, but those who opposed the new rule suggested insurers could simply raise premiums to cover the cost.

Searching for strategies, some evangelicals filed lawsuits. Others followed Catholic bishops' lead, releasing letters to be read in churches.

At least 117 Catholic bishops issued statements to their dioceses, asking for their prayers and political opposition to the ruling. Many told priests to read the letters aloud to congregants during Sunday masses. Members of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) asked for advice on whether to distribute a similar letter, said Galen Carey, vice president of government relations. The organization decided not to take the unprecedented step because its leaders believe that reading a letter on a political issue should be done rarely, if at all.

Evangelicals including Chuck Colson, Albert Mohler, and Jim Daly specifically said the issue was not just a Catholic one. While evangelicals do not take the same stance against all contraception, they generally oppose forms of birth control that block uterine implantation.

Evangelical institutions Colorado Christian University, Louisiana College, and Geneva College joined Catholic universities in filing lawsuits to challenge the rule. Spokespeople for the Becket Fund and the Alliance Defense Fund told CT they expect to file ...

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